Machines for cleaning tobacco scrap



`lune 28, 1960 Filed July 8, 1957 W. I. SKINNER MACHINES FOR CLEANING TOBACCO SCRAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR June 28, 1960 w. l. SKINNER MACHINES FOR CLEANING TOBACCO SCRAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 8, 1957 INVENTOR BY VLM.

ATTORNEYS,

MACHINES FOR CLEANING TOBACCO SCRAP William I. Skinner, Williamston, N.C., assignor to W. I.

Skinner and Company, Williamston, N.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 8, 1957, Ser. No. 670,524

8 Claims. (Cl. ISI-147) The present invention has been prompted by a desire to revive a phase of the tobacco processing bus1ness, known as processing and dealing in tobacco farm scrap,

'which has become unprotable because of constantly risbacco, after being pulled from the stalk in the fields, are

tied or looped to tobacco sticks with cotton string before placing same in curing barns, farm scrap becomes badly entangled with cotton strings which have been dropped on the floors in pacing barns when the cured tobacco leaves are taken from tobacco sticks and prepared for marketing.

Farm scrap also contains a large percentage of sand and dirt, as well as much foreign matter such as chicken feathers, peanut hulls, straws, corn husks, cigarette butts, and even sometimes bottle caps, nails, small sticks and numerous other items, all of which must be removed from the farm scrap before the product is salable by the processor.

In times past when wages were at a substantially lower level than at present, it was possible to clean and pick foreign matter from tobacco scrap by hand labor and to render it to such a state that dirt and sand could be separated by mechanical means. However, when labor costs began to increase, as in the past fteen years, farm scrap became more and more expensive until at the present time, the cost of processing this product is prohibitive. There was a domestic as well as a foreign demand for farm scrap, and because of the fact that present prices of flue cured leaf tobacco are steadily increasing thus causing the leaf tobacco exported to lose much of his foreign market, the inventors interest was centered on means for cleaning farm scrap mechanically, as one possible source of supplying a limited quantity of flue cured tobacco to foreign customers at prices which could compete with foreign growths.

Accordingly a primary feature of the present invention is a means as above referred to in the form of a novel machine which is capable of removing foreign matter lfrom and cleaning tobacco scrap at relatively low cost, whereby the mechandising of the scrap product is rendered profitable.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a tobacco scrap cleaning machine which is relatively simple in construction, durable in use, ecient in operation, and which is capable of manufacture at relatively low cost.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed nted States Patent 2,942,607 Patented June 28, 1960 description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the machine in accordance with a preferred structural embodiment thereof, and wherein the scrap receiving hopper is omitted.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view as observed from the front of the machine at a point above same.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental enlarged view of Fig. 3 and disclosing important structural features hereinafter referred t0.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the improved machine will be seen to comprise a frame 10 which may be of any desired form for supporting the cooperating elements hereinafter referred to. The frame however, includes three bearing supports 11, 12 and 13 which as indicated in Fig. 2 are supported by vertical members 14 in a position wherein same are in spaced parallel relation but at a uniform angle to the horizontal for a purpose as will later appear.

As is indicated, the bearing supports 11, 12 and 13 provide the bases of three successive sections A, B, and C and which bases are provided with suitable side plates as indicated in the formation of a vertically stepped open bottom trough for flow of tobacco scrap to be cleaned.

Each of the sections A, B, and C is provided with nine roller brushes and which are designated 15, 15a, 15b in the successive sections A, B and C. The roller brushes are rotatably supported by bearing brackets 16 and the brushes in each section are substantially in contact as illustrated. By reason of being in contact, the brushes provide a closure for the trough and prevent material from falling through the open bottom of the trough except when the brushes revolve.

As is clearly indicated in Fig. 2 the axes of brushes 15 are in a plane inclined to the horizontal and extending upwardly from the front of the machine. The axes of brushes 1Sa are in a plane in spaced parallel relation to said first plane and beneath same, while the axes of brushes 15b are in a plane in spaced parallel relation t0 said second plane and beneath same and said planes are equally spaced.

At the forward end of the machine is a hopper 17 into which tobacco scrap is admitted for passage through the machine and the scrap in section A is carried forward and upward by brushes 15 from the last of which it falls onto the first brush I15a in section B. The scrap is carried forward by brushes 15a from the last of which it falls onto the first brush 1Sb in section C and from which the scrap passes to a shaker and rotary brushes, forming no part of the present invention. Y

The brushes 15, 15B and 15b all rotate clockwise as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2 and each succeeding brush rotates faster than the preceding brush for a purpose later to appear. The r.p.m.s preferably vary from 36 to 60 and in order to provide for such variation in speed a sprocket drive is provided as is indicated iu Pig. 1 and wherein the axle 18 of each rotary brush is provided with a pair of axially spaced sprocket wheels 19 and 19 and sprocket chains 20 are engaged with the sprocket wheels, which vary slightly in diameter to effect the above noted variation of the speed of the rotation of the brushes as is more clearly shown in Fig. 4.

While not clearly shown in Fig. l, a sprocket chain drive will of course be in cooperation with the vertically spaced brushes at adjacent ends of the sections. A doier 21 is supported adjacent the advance end of section A and above the brushes therein. A pair of similar dotfers 22 are provided in section B and supported above the brushes therein and a further doifer 23 is provided in section C and supported above the brushes 3 therein. The dotfers may be driven by sprocket chains having drive connections with certain of the brush axles as indicated in Fig. 3.

A pair of brush engaging idlers 24 are supported in section A adjacent the rearY end thereof and aV pair of like idlers 25 are supported in section C T he doiers 2 1, 22 and 23 each comprise an elongated hub 26 from which radiate a pluralityrof light gauge tines 27 and the idlers 24 and 25 each comprise a rotatable supporting rod 28 from which project a series of laterally spaced prongs 2 9 whose inner free ends areY slightly curved with the convex sides thereof engaging 'the corresponding brushes as shown in Fig'. 2. Disposed beneath 4 Y scrap and fall between the brushesV onto the wire racks or trays 30 and 31.

The wire racks 30 and'31 are slidably supported on members 3i)a and 31a and are disposed immediately under Vthe brushes 15e and 15b of sections B and C. The wires in these racks catch the strings as they fall from the brushes. A x Y During the brushing action in sections B and C some line scrap is forced between the brushes and falls through the brushes e in section B are `a pair .of .superposed wire racks or trays 3l) and a similar pair of wire racks Yor trays 31 are disposed-beneath the brushes 15bin section C. The trays 30 and 31 are slidably supported in` members 30a and 31a, respectively. Three fine scrap brushes 32 `are rotatably supported beneath the wire racksV 30 and threesimilar ne scrap brushes 33 are rotatably supported beneath the wire racksl.V

Ihe brushes 32 rotate in a clockwise direction .and Contact a conveyor 3'4 and a conveyor v35Y is disposed beneath the brushes 15 in section A. The motive power is preferably applied to shaft 36 from which a sprocket Achain drive is disposed between same tand the sprocket ,chain drive shown in Fig. 1, and a sprocket chain drive provided between the drive of Fig. 1 and the conveyor 35.

Having set forth the detail construction of the improved tobacco scrap cleaning machine, the operation thereof is as follows. l

Farm scrap is rst dumped on a table where the most vnoticeable extraneous matter, such as sticks, rags,`etc.,

.can `easily be separated manually andthe scrap is then fed into a hopper built with an inclined conveyor that passes under an adjustable doier thus regulating the feed of the scrap, and onto a shaker which removes some of the loose dirt and sand from vthe scrap. The scrap is then Ydropped down a chute into the hopper 17v to the rst revolving brush 15 in section A.

Asthe scrap passes over the driven roller brushes 1 5, 15a and 15b, the different speeds of rotation of the successive brushes create a turbulence within the scrap, thereby causing more surface of the scrap to come into contact with each brush. This brushing action and friction removes dirt sand from the tobacco' and also Ypicks Strings from theleaves thereof, by winding thereof onto the rotating brushes.

Prior to .the tobacco Yscrap being fed `onto Vthe brushes Y 1 5 of section A, only a small amount of yloose dirt and sand has been removed; therefore the -greatest percentage of sand, dirt, lint, straws and other s rall particles of foreign matter is brushedl from the scrapin section A and falls vertically onto the conveyor 35 for disposal thereof.

' The small amount yof line scrap falling onto the Vcon.- Yeyo'r 35 with foreign matter is impractical to reclaim.

' The doifers 21,22 and 23 rotate in a clockwise direction' and regulate the flow of scrap, and at the same time 'function to draw out llong strings which are *wound around the cores'of the doiers. The idlers Y24 and 2 5 have the prongs. 29 thereof normally resting upon the adjacent brushes, thereby causing'more brushing friction on the'scrap as it passes nriderv the idlers and onto the following brushes. 'The brushes 15a and 15b in sections B and Cfhave the same action and function as those in section A, but

Ythe scrap upon reaching section B has been untangled the wire racks onto the conveyor 34.' Y

The Yfine scrap brushes 32rotate in a vclockwise direction and are tangentV tothe upper run *of the conveyor 34.

Fine scrap falling onto the conveyor is` conveyed into contact with'the iirsf'brush 3 2, wherethe brushing action removes lint and remaining strings before lrolling scrap over the top of such brush for similar treatment against the second and third brushes 32.

The same action follows with brushes 33 under the section C. Fine .Scrap is thus .reclaimed in a merchantable condition.

During the 'brushing action in sections A; B and C, the .farm scrap leaves .have been freed of .tine partiel-es of tobacco and approximately 98 percent of strings, vfeathers and foreign matter, but in order to remove larger pieces of foreign matter such as soft drink bottle caps, whole peanut shells, and odd items of approximately that size, which are too large to be brushed between the contacting brushes of Sections A, B and C, the scrap is passed onto a shaker, which separates all remaining particles of tobacco leaves up Vto 3A inch as well as the Afew remaining straws, thus leaving only the larger pieces 'of foreign matter and tobacco leaves.

From the shaker, the scrap passes through anotherv section Vsimilar to section A but wherein the brushes are separated approximately one quarter of an inch, the separation of the brushes permits foreign matter to be 'brushed between them but at the same time not permitting the larger leaves of farm scrap to pass between the brushes.

The nalV step in the processing of the scrap is to pass the cleaned scrap varying in size from approximately one inch to whole leaves across a moving'conveyor belt where the different grades of tobacco are picked'and assorted before the tobacco is redried and Vpacked in hogsheads.

I claim: f

1. A machine for removing foreign matter from tobacco scrap, comprisingV a friame, \an elongated open bottom .Scrap confining trough supported by said frame and including a plurality of sections which are disposed at equal angles to the horizontal andl Vwhich are vertically offset at equal distances from each other, aplurality'of roller Abrushes `completely covered with bristles and disposed in each section transversely thereof and extending substantially from end to end'thereof, each brush being in contact with adjacent brushes and preventing material from falling therebetween except when said brushesV revolve, means supported by said frame for imparting clockwise rotation to all of said brushes simultaneously and thereby setting up a turbulence lin tobacco scrap being treated thereon, said rotation imparting means comprising sprocket wheels and cooperating sprocket chains, and said sprocket wheelsrbeing of uniformly varying diameter for slightly'higher speed of rotation of each succeeding brush than the immediately preceding one.

2.y A machine according to claim l, together with at least one dojer rotatably supported Vin each Yof said sections, each doier comprising a hub and a plurality of tinesV radiating therefrom," said tines cooperating with adjacent brushes for regulating the flow of scrap thereon and for drawing out strings which may have become wrapped about'the -rotary brushes.

3. The structure according to `claim 2, wherein said sections comprise a rst section, asecond section, and a third section, and said iirstsection having its doier adjacent the front end thereof, said second section being provided with a pair of said doters intermediate the ends thereof, and said third section having its doer intermediate the ends thereof.

4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the first section and the last section are each provided with a pair of idlers, each of which comprises a free swinging supporting rod, and a plurality of brush engageable prongs projecting laterally from said rod.

5. A machine for cleaning tobacco scrap, comprising a frame, a first, second, and third series of roller brushes rotatably supported by said frame, each brush being completely covered with bristles and being in contact with adjacent brushes and preventing tobacco thereon from falling therebetween except when said brushes revolve with each series of brushes having their axes in a plane inclined to the horizontal and the planes of the axes of all three series of brushes being in uniformly spaced relation, means for imparting simultaneous rotation to the brushes of all three series thereof and causing turbulence in the tobacco scrap being treated, and string catching wire racks removably supported beneath each ofthe second and third series of brushes.

6. The structure according to claim 5, together with a series of iine scrap rotary brushes disposed beneath said wire racks.

7. The structure according to claim 6 together with a conveyor disposed beneath said series of iine scrap rotary brushes having the upper run thereof tangent to the line scrap rotary brushes.

8. The structure according to claim 7 together with a second conveyor disposed beneath said first section.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Y 743,655 McIntyre Nov. 10, 1903 1,164,953 Mewbone Dec. 21, 1915 1,202,574 Parker Oct. 24, 1916 1,498,144 Avery June 17, 1924 2,055,630 McLean Sept. 29, 1936 2,345,988 Ockrant Apr. 4, 1944 2,367,060 Ruau Jan. 9, 1945 2,421,483 Deems et al June 3, 1947 2,467,248 Arelt Apr. 12, 1949 2,513,297 Fairbairn July 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 26,683 Great Britain 1905 

